“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”
Haile Selassie

Thursday, June 12, 2014

When I first heard about the story of Rick Scott returning to the pound his rescue dog "Reagan" a Labrador retriever he adopted shortly after winning the Florida Governor's Office in 2010, I thought it had to be made up. After all, who would be not only that cruel, but that politically dumb?

Inevitably questions would come out about the dog and the Scott people would have to explain his disappearance. There are a lot of Republicans and conservatives who have dogs and such treatment of a canine would undoubtedly not play well with many in Scott's base.

Turns out the story is mostly correct.

"Reagan"

The Scott people tried to duck questions about what happened to the dog who had seemed to have disappeared.. Scott finally admitted in an interview with a Tampa Bay Times reporter that two months after he adopted the "rescue dog" he returned him to the previous owner. According to a report in the newspaper, which story was re-reported in the New York Daily News:

Reagan "scared the living daylights" out of people, Scott told the Times. Photographer Eric Tournay was taken aback whenever the dog "barked like crazy" every time he saw the camera, the governor said.

According to the article, Reagan was returned to the prior owner and is now living out his days at All Pets Grooming and Boarding in Naples, Florida.

So Reagan wasn't returned to the pound. But he was returned to the previous owner, which begs the question whether it was truly a rescue animal to begin with. Nobody asked that question apparently. Also, no one apparently has obtained a picture of Reagan at his new living facility so the media is just taking Governor Scott's word about what happened.

By the way, Governor Scott has a new "rescue" Labrador retriever, a 7 year old dog named "Tallee."

Note: I'd like to link directly to the Tampa Bay Times article but it is not opening well on my computer so I linked to the New York Daily News article instead.

Why are we so quick to judge our political figures. If you read Rick Scott's comment about the return, the dog was not a good fit for their family. This happens!

I have been in rescue for 35 years and currently have a rescue in our home. I adopted him hours before he was scheduled to be euthanized this summer because he had been labeled a biter. As I am an experienced dog handler and a volunteer with the U.S. Humane Society, I asked to work with him and was permitted to do so. I was allowed to adopt him only because of my background. He is an outstanding dog - a Boykin Spaniel - but he is not a good fit for our family so we are looking for him another more appropriate home. Why isn't he a good fit? He is housebroke and a lovable dog BUT he is high energy - and I do mean high. I am 67 and my husband is 72. Our other three dogs are all older - 8 to 16 years old. The Boykin is approximately a year old and typical of the breed, always on the run. We can't keep up with him and he runs right over the top of our 8 year old who was just diagnosed with aggressive progressive arthritis. A wrong hit has left him in severe pain until a pain pill kicks in. We are always running interference for the others. Our 16 year old is senile and the other two put up with her but the new kid on the block gets aggravated with her.

Friends adopted a Shih Tzu from someone who had lost her Rottie and decided to go with a smaller dog only to learn she was a big dog person. A year later she was getting a large dog and realized the Shih Tzu could be in danger. Our friends never had children and were recently retired. They absolutely adore the Shih Tzu - and their life centers on her. Yet people on Craigs List badgered the original owner so much she almost backed out of parting with the small dog. I managed to convince her that she had made the right decision for Mattie - one that has worked beautifully for everyone involved - and most of all "Mattie"!

Just so I am clear, I love this dog already but it is not fair to him to keep him in our family. He needs a young family with children to run and play with him. He constantly wants to play ball or to throw one of his toys so he can retrieve it. His breed are hunters and that instinct is there - I can tell when we let him in our backyard with the bird and squirrel feeders. My husband loves to feed the birds and squirrels but the head for high ground when the new kids gets out there. He is a wonderful dog but not a good fit for our family - the same as the Lab was for Rick Scott's family.

About Me

I have been an attorney since the Fall of 1987. I have worked in every branch of government, including a stint as a Deputy Attorney General, a clerk for a judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals, and I have worked three sessions at the Indiana State Senate.
During my time as a lawyer, I have worked not only in various government positions, but also in private practice as a trial attorney handing an assortment of mostly civil cases.
I have also been politically active and run this blog in an effort to add my voice to those calling for reform.